Deandre Daniels--NBA 3 pt specialist

[scrappy2.0]

If you sit back and take a look--while DD does have potential to be a multi -skilled NBA player--I can easily see him at his length--with his form--of being an NBA 3 pt specialist type. Hes long athletic and he shoots the 3 easy and hes quite accurate. He can defend in the NBA run play at the rim--but most importantly he can make the open 3. I can easily see it.

 

[his dudeness]

Right now, I don't see the foot speed or defensive instincts that a small forward needs in the NBA. That being said, he could improve, as he has already shown he is capable of. His release is kinda slow too. Love him, but I see him as fringe NBA contributor

 

[caw]

Right now, I don't see the foot speed or defensive instincts that a small forward needs in the NBA. That being said, he could improve, as he has already shown he is capable of. His release is kinda slow too. Love him, but I see him as fringe NBA contributor

All depends on the system he goes to. He would fit pretty well on the Clippers or OKC. Maybe never a top three option for an NBA team but he could be a starter.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

For me it's simple: If DD plays with aggression he's a great college player with a shot at landing on an NBA roster. If DD plays timidly, he's an average college player.

Let's hope we see the Memphis and end of last year DD more often.

 

[joober jones]

If he doesn't make the NBA, he's going to be a monster in Europe.

 

[Jluc]

Do we all agree that he should probably stick around one more year? Especially with how talented this draft is.

 

[Rico444]

Do we all agree that he should probably stick around one more year? Especially with how talented this draft is.

I'll let you know in 2 months. If he plays like he did against Memphis most nights, then there's a good chance he jumps.

 

[champs99and04]

A three point specialist would be somebody like Ryan Anderson or Matt Bonner. DeAndre is a very good spot up shooter at the college level, but to be a three point specialist would require that he 1) hits contested shots and 2) hits shots at a 45%+ clip from behind the NBA line. He's not anywhere near that level.

 

[DogMania]

DD has a nice touch from all over the floor, but there are a few aspects of his game that concerns me as far as the next level.

He needs to get a lot stronger. NBA 4s will abuse him. Think Donyell Marshall, the early years. DM eventually filled out. Not sure DD has the body type to play the NBA 4, maybe the stretch-4 on a limited basis.

He needs to improve his foot work. He tends to shuffle those puppies. He's going to struggle defending and creating space against quicker 3s. Again, think Donyell Marshall, though I think he can improve in that area if he works at it.

Needs to improve his handle, though it has gotten a tad better this season. At the next level, you need to use you handle to create space and get by defenders.

He doesn't get any lift on his 3-ball. At 6-9 and long arms he can shoot over smaller players, and we know he can knock down uncontested 3s. That will get you no more than a role player at the next level.

I think he needs another year to get stronger and improve his foot work to increase his chances on a bigger role in the NBA. Though if he shows improvement in some of the other areas as the season goes on and puts up big time numbers, that might be enough to get drafted in the first round. Getting drafted is one thing. Sticking around and playing meaningful minutes is another.

 

[James]

Daniels has been surging, I'm guessing he has a huge game tonight. Him and napier are lethal in gampel . Also Giffey

 

[caw]

A three point specialist would be somebody like Ryan Anderson or Matt Bonner. DeAndre is a very good spot up shooter at the college level, but to be a three point specialist would require that he 1) hits contested shots and 2) hits shots at a 45%+ clip from behind the NBA line. He's not anywhere near that level.

Hard to tell bc he doesn't take NBA threes. As for contested shots, Ryan Anderson and Matt Bonner do not take contested shots. Ray Allen used to and Curry does, but they were/are all stars not just three point specialists.

He's at 48% from the college line this year and 57% the past 13 games.

 

[nomar]

I think another season would help, and I say that with my NBA scout hat on, not my UConn hat.

While his stats haven't shot up, his BBIQ has. He looks comfortable out there. He's not reckless with the ball like he used to be. He knows when and when not to put the ball on the floor. And while he now errs on the side of conservatism, his shot selection has gotten quite good. (As for the OP, his release isn't all that quick, but neither is Matt Bonner's.)

But he has room to improve. His post-up game is nice and there's no reason he can't add more moves to the ones he already has. He could use a mid-range jumper -- maybe a pull-up J. And while he'll never be Ricky Rubio, his dribbling can get better; it already has improved a lot since his freshman year and I bet he hasn't maxed out in that area.

I do wonder about him in the NBA. He's a real tweener. While he can be an NBA 4 offensively, on D he'd get eaten alive (his off-ball shot-blocking is nice but I just think he'll get bodied pretty bad.) And while he's smooth enough to be a 3, I don't know if he's quick enough, especially on D. The question is whether he can develop his skills to the point that they make up for his physical limitations. But, as I said at the top, I think he needs another year to put himself in a position to succeed at the NBA.

For whatever little it's worth, I bet he'd kill it in the NBDL. That may be his path.

 

[champs99and04]

Hard to tell bc he doesn't take NBA threes. As for contested shots, Ryan Anderson and Matt Bonner do not take contested shots. Ray Allen used to and Curry does, but they were/are all stars not just three point specialists.

He's at 48% from the college line this year and 57% the past 13 games.

Well, I can't say I watch Hornets games regularly, but Anderson is taking a ridiculous 7.5 3's per game. I find it hard to believe that all of those shots are wide open. He does take quite a non-3 point shots, though, so I don't know if he would or wouldn't be considered a specialist (Kyle Korver is probably closer to a specialist). As for Bonner, you may be right, but again, defenses know to pay attention to him, so I'd be surprised if he didn't take some contested shots as well. DeAndre is taking just over three 3's a game, from behind the college level, and a high percentage of those looks have been generated by virtue of defenses daring him to shoot. Perhaps "contested shots" was the wrong phrase to use - what I really meant is DeAndre rarely takes 3's unless he's wide open. You're not going to be a specialist in the NBA if you aren't capable of taking shots under pressure.

 

[champs99and04]

I think another season would help, and I say that with my NBA scout hat on, not my UConn hat.

While his stats haven't shot up, his BBIQ has. He looks comfortable out there. He's not reckless with the ball like he used to be. He knows when and when not to put the ball on the floor. And while he now errs on the side of conservatism, his shot selection has gotten quite good. (As for the OP, his release isn't all that quick, but neither is Matt Bonner's.)

But he has room to improve. His post-up game is nice and there's no reason he can't add more moves to the ones he already has. He could use a mid-range jumper -- maybe a pull-up J. And while he'll never be Ricky Rubio, his dribbling can get better; it already has improved a lot since his freshman year and I bet he hasn't maxed out in that area.

I do wonder about him in the NBA. He's a real tweener. While he can be an NBA 4 offensively, on D he'd get eaten alive (his off-ball shot-blocking is nice but I just think he'll get bodied pretty bad.) And while he's smooth enough to be a 3, I don't know if he's quick enough, especially on D. The question is whether he can develop his skills to the point that they make up for his physical limitations. But, as I said at the top, I think he needs another year to put himself in a position to succeed at the NBA.

For whatever little it's worth, I bet he'd kill it in the NBDL. That may be his path.

I think that last part is right. I don't think he's quick enough laterally to be a three in the NBA, and certainly not strong enough to be a four. The NBA has become increasingly small-ball-oriented, though, so it's possible he may find a niche in the right place.

 

[Burnsbros23]

He cant dribble and he cant defend NBA threes. I really don't see him ever contributing in the league. He will make a living overseas.

 

[caw]

Well, I can't say I watch Hornets games regularly, but Anderson is taking a ridiculous 7.5 3's per game. I find it hard to believe that all of those shots are wide open. He does take quite a non-3 point shots, though, so I don't know if he would or wouldn't be considered a specialist (Kyle Korver is probably closer to a specialist). As for Bonner, you may be right, but again, defenses know to pay attention to him, so I'd be surprised if he didn't take some contested shots as well. DeAndre is taking just over three 3's a game, from behind the college level, and a high percentage of those looks have been generated by virtue of defenses daring him to shoot. Perhaps "contested shots" was the wrong phrase to use - what I really meant is DeAndre rarely takes 3's unless he's wide open. You're not going to be a specialist in the NBA if you aren't capable of taking shots under pressure.

Fair enough. For Anderson, I wouldn't call them contested looks, but maybe just a terminology difference. Daniels does take a lot of open shots, but I think it has less to do with players daring him to shoot and more with him playing the four and a lot of college fours not being quick enough to recover when they help on UConns guards. If Daniels were a three in college he probably would be less open from three (but would also likely have shorter players on him). I'm not sure I would say he could be an NBA 3 pt specialist but he could be a solid 3D guy on the right team. Maybe not at the level of Anderson or Korver from three but he has range and a high release (if not the quickest).

Tonight will be interesting with ULs zone.

 

[Thirty Three]

DD has a nice touch from all over the floor, but there are a few aspects of his game that concerns me as far as the next level.

He needs to get a lot stronger. NBA 4s will abuse him. Think Donyell Marshall, the early years. DM eventually filled out. Not sure DD has the body type to play the NBA 4, maybe the stretch-4 on a limited basis.

He needs to improve his foot work. He tends to shuffle those puppies. He's going to struggle defending and creating space against quicker 3s. Again, think Donyell Marshall, though I think he can improve in that area if he works at it.

Needs to improve his handle, though it has gotten a tad better this season. At the next level, you need to use you handle to create space and get by defenders.

He doesn't get any lift on his 3-ball. At 6-9 and long arms he can shoot over smaller players, and we know he can knock down uncontested 3s. That will get you no more than a role player at the next level.

I think he needs another year to get stronger and improve his foot work to increase his chances on a bigger role in the NBA. Though if he shows improvement in some of the other areas as the season goes on and puts up big time numbers, that might be enough to get drafted in the first round. Getting drafted is one thing. Sticking around and playing meaningful minutes is another.

Agree 100% DM. One thing that I will add regarding his footwork; besides needing to improve his footwork, his footwork isn't quick enough for a college small forward, let alone an nba wing. Not sure that it's even possible for him to improve his foot speed. His footwork/speed along with a subpar handle (for a wing) are the exact reasons he doesnt play small forward now.

Although i think Deandre is a better player, and obviously taller, foot speed and ball handling were two of the biggest things that held Denham Brown back from becoming a college star and succeeding in the nba. I see some real similarities between the two in those aspects at this level. I really dont see Daniels as an nba small forward and he would have to bulk up quite a bit to be an nba power forward, but he really doesnt seem to have the frame to put on that kind of weight.

With that said, i love deandre's game as a collegiate power forward, he's a great matchup nightmare, and my second favorite player on the team to watch play, behind Bazz.

 

[DogMania]

Agree 100% DM. One thing that I will add regarding his footwork; besides needing to improve his footwork, his footwork isn't quick enough for a college small forward, let alone an nba wing. Not sure that it's even possible for him to improve his foot speed. His footwork/speed along with a subpar handle (for a wing) are the exact reasons he doesnt play small forward now.

Although i think Deandre is a better player, and obviously taller, foot speed and ball handling were two of the biggest things that held Denham Brown back from becoming a college star and succeeding in the nba. I see some real similarities between the two in those aspects at this level. I really dont see Daniels as an nba small forward and he would have to bulk up quite a bit to be an nba power forward, but he really doesnt seem to have the frame to put on that kind of weight.

With that said, i love deandre's game as a collegiate power forward, he's a great matchup nightmare, and my second favorite player on the team to watch play, behind Bazz.

You may be right, but I think there's a little more RPMs he can get out of those legs of his. I'm not referring to end to end speed, but a little improvement with his first step or two along with his lateral movement. Enough to earn him a place in the league and some measure of success.

 

[David 76]

I think DD is as he has played for 3 years. Talented but inconsistent. We've seen enough of it to realize he is not likely to be consistent. Does not have the competitiveness of Boat & Bazz. He ain't going to the NBA because he won't get drafted. Maybe next year will be a breakthrough year--but I don't think so.

 

[Kitaman]

Danielsl is not NBA ready, that's evident watching him. He may not even make any AAC teams at the end of the season.

Being selected based on potential is one thing but making the league is something different. He needs to make up his mind that he is one of the best players in the nation and dominate day in and day out.

He'll have one more year to do that. At this point he just needs to get started on the road to domination, and not exit for any reason.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Smaller rashard lewis maybe? Lewis has about 2 inches on him and maybe 10-15 pounds but really long players who prefer to hang out on the perimeter but can take it inside as needed

 

[boog204]

Smaller rashard lewis maybe? Lewis has about 2 inches on him and maybe 10-15 pounds but really long players who prefer to hang out on the perimeter but can take it inside as needed

Lewis in his prime was more athletic and skilled than DD, imo. The thing with DD is that he struggles to create his own shot. He's a spot up shooter or a guy who's scoring down low. He doesn't score off the dribble b/c his handle is poor and while he has these bursts of athleticism once he gains momentum, he always seems a step slow initially.

 

[dogpause]

I don't get the hype bout DD, his game has lots of holes and even the good part is inconsistent.

 

[ddent68]

DD reminds me of Rudy and Stanley. They all seemed to have some kind of mental block that keeps them from reaching their full potential. With all three, I don't know how many times I saw the brilliance on the floor and then asked myself why don't they do that all the time? I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

[Danzz]

Right now, I don't see the foot speed or defensive instincts that a small forward needs in the NBA. That being said, he could improve, as he has already shown he is capable of. His release is kinda slow too. Love him, but I see him as fringe NBA contributor

As you said, he can improve and will need to for success at the next level. He also needs to have more fire in his belly every game.

 

[boog204]

You may be right, but I think there's a little more RPMs he can get out of those legs of his. I'm not referring to end to end speed, but a little improvement with his first step or two along with his lateral movement. Enough to earn him a place in the league and some measure of success.

Very true. He is a strange athlete in the sense of once he gets going he's quick and can jump. But his first step is slow, his reaction is slow, and his standing leap lacks explosion. It looks like he's playing in slow motion 85% of the time and then the other 15% he's the trailer on a break and exploding.

 

[James]

I don't get the hype bout DD, his game has lots of holes and even the good part is inconsistent.

The hype is caused by him putting up 23/11 on a legit memphis team. You don't just walk in a gym and get those numbers by accident. Daniels is an interesting enigma. If he's back next year I'm excited.

 

[hyperthink]

Lewis in his prime was more athletic andis no way he plays well enouskilled than DD, imo. The thing with DD is that he struggles to create his own shot. He's a spot up shooter or a guy who's scoring down low. He doesn't score off the dribble b/c his handle is poor and while he has these bursts of athleticism once he gains momentum, he always seems a step slow initially.

Noa good comparison. No way he would have gotten taken out of high school and there is no way he gets 20 million a year. Rashard lewis would give you 19 qnd 8 in his prime.